The scandal brewing at the military regarding sexually explicit images of female troops being non-consensually shared has grown larger than the private social media site Marines United to include a whole host of gay adult sites depicting uniformed men engaged in sex acts.

Now your very own tax dollars will be used to pay for military investigators to track down said images and videos to uncover whether active-duty troops knowingly participated in activities that could “bring discredit on their service,” which could be seen as violating military law.

We’re going to save the investigators some time and say OK, that’s probably what happened — but this has all the trappings of a witch hunt.

This “problem,” it’s been discovered, affects all branches of the US military, as images of men in the uniforms of sailors, soldiers and airmen reportedly appear on a whole bevy of Tumblr sites. How very dreadful indeed.

There is one area of the investigation that is cause for real concern — it’s possible that some of the men appearing on the adult sites may not have provided consent, and that’s no joke. Unfortunately, even if the images constitute so-called “revenge porn,” military law doesn’t do much to protect victims if they consented at the time the pictures or videos were originally filmed.

Determining whether the men in the photos, many involved in group sex, are active-duty troops is possible, said a congressional source on a military oversight committee who was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue. NCIS has dedicated dozens of investigators to the matter, the source said. They can comb through the photos and identify troops with the use of facial-recognition software.

There’s a fantastic use of the government’s cutting-edge technology.

The Pentagon has formed a joint military task force to handle the significantly expanded investigation, which includes representatives from the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Punishment could include court marshall if active-duty troops are identified as having knowingly participated in the videos, and there is precedent for discharging troops for such activity.

Billy Budd

graphicjack

Well, no wonder they are cutting funding to Meals on Wheels and Veteran health. I mean clearly this is far more critical. Thank goodness for sane heads in government who clearly have their priorities straight.

natekerchel

The continuing madness of the Usurper and his fellow deplorables. I just wonder – at what point will the Republicans stop supporting the slimeball in the Oval Office? Oh wait I think I know – when it looks like they will lose seats! They are just using him at the moment to sneak through their own agenda – at whatever cost to the already oppressed, the sick, the old, homeless, the unemployed. Truly repulsive disgusting creatures. How long will it take mhoffman to ask me to provide evidence that trump is a slimeball?

Dakotahgeo

Wire dog

Everyone knows when you join the military you have a conduct on becoming of a soldier that’s just life you don’t have the freedoms of a regular civilian. You have to conduct yourself publicly and privately as a soldier 24/7 or if you’re going to play make sure you don’t get caught.

orlandogotay

Editor: It is ‘court martial’.

Seems to me like a colossal waste of time and resources.

Even if someone’s identify were to be successfully proven, there would have to be satisfactory proof that the acting was performed while the person was subject to military law, not exactly an easy feat.

rj_topher

Look at who is behind this move to investigate “gay porn” and video posting by men in the military.
This move against first amendment rights is led by none other that the Senator from New York – a woman of all people, who should know and respect the rights of gay men in the military. It’s nothing more than a witch hunt to hunt down and punish with criminal charges guys who frankly have the right to post whatever. It’s call free speech, Senator.

jcoberkrom

They have time and money to do this, but to keep the women safe from sexual exploitation they don’t have time for or desire to find the sleazes that are posting their pics on FB.
Can you say hypocrite?

natekerchel

Yes you can. Not only hypocrites but mysogynists. But yet again you don’t have to look too far to see where their ‘leadership’ is coming from – the monster in the Oval Office.

March 18, 2017 at 8:03pm

Ken A.

A word about photography. If someone takes a picture of someone, they own the image. The model or subject has no say in where it goes who it gets shared by. If the subject consents to the picture being taken by posing or is aware of the images then whoever the photographer wishes to share the images with is at their discretion. However, if the image is for monetary gains, a model release must be signed and the subject compensated. Otherwise, we’ll have a whole lot more people suing photographers. If images were taken by voyeurs or secretly, then there is a case.

highestbidder

I don’t get how the author comes to the conclusion this is a witch hunt based on what was reported in this story. I spent a long time in the Navy so I can tell you that straights have also been punished for engaging in pornographic modeling. And the NCIS investigating potential crime is a legitimate use of taxpayer funds. I’m pretty sure most of the guys are smart enough to wait until they get out to do porn.

Heywood Jablowme

I’m a veteran too and I think it’s unlikely that active duty guys would be having sex, spontaneously, IN UNIFORM. (Or rather, partially in uniform.) Maybe back in the DADT era and earlier,- for quickie sex! — but why would they do that now? That indicates a stylized porn situation, not a hidden camera. Uniforms may look hot in porn but it’s just not how it would happen in real life. And as you imply, a young recent veteran would still have his uniforms and might be interested in doing porn.

Jack Meoff

Jim Guinnessey

It has been a well known fact that many of the Pentagon top brass are homophobic, Pentecostals, evangelicals and pseudo machos. Given Trump’s nasty pic s for top cabinet and other cabinet level jobs don’t be surprised that the Military brass won’t be looking up everyone’s ass justifying their pernicious search in the name of national security.

natekerchel

‘National Security’ is the favorite excuse used by dictators and would be dictators to crack down on those seen as a danger to them, or critical of them. Day by day we see this illegitimate regime take another step down the dictatorship road. Almost the first thing any dictator worth his salt does is to get the military on side – i.e. the top brass. We see this taking place in the proposed huge increase in military spending. This ‘investigation’ is another example of the ‘buttering up’ of the military leaders. What we are the seeing is the beginning of the politicisation of the military. Not a good sign for the future of American democracy and freedoms.